Display container



Nov. 11, 1941. E. c. SLOAN 2,2 2

DISPLAY com'A maPt' Filed April 30, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYQ NOV. 11, 1941. E C SLOAN DISPLAY CGNTAINER Filed April 30,1-938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS PatentedNov. 11, 1941 IT- D "STAT-ES AENT; O F C DISPLAY ooNTAInER .EdwardCLSloan;GenevaillLl I I iuApplicationApril 30, 1938,...SriaiNo;205,291. I 1 1 i 6. Claims. I(once-44 This invention relates to 'display boxes :or containers, andmore 'partic'ularl y to containers or the type which are adapted,-whenshut, .to enclose and protect the goods therein and, when "opened,':todisplay'the goods.

It"'is:.an' object of the invention-topro'vide a display box or'container of new and improved construction: which will "effectivelyhouse and protect the articles placed therein when in closed positioniand which-will Jeffectively. display the articleswhen operied.. r

Further objects of thevinvention are to provide a displaybox or'container of simplified and economical construction wherein, due tothemrangement ot-the parts, "the display platform upon which articlesarecadapteduto be mounted or carriedis automatically. brought 'to.effective display position uponxthevopeningl of: the box; wherein thedisplay platform 'canwbe' readily .adjusted by the positioningiof theboxso as todisplay the articlesat any desired angle; wherein the displayplatform covers or "conceals the box interior when the 'box is open; andwherein'the box provides an ornamental or. advertising border playposition.

Otherpbjects"and-"advantages of the invention will: appear from: thefollowing description when taken in. connection withthe accompanying for.thedisplay platform when in open or disdrawings in whichcertainpreferred embodiments l of the inventionare set forth foripurposes of illustration. l i [@In the drawings, wherein likereferencenumerals refer to like parts throughout:

.Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview illustrating a display. box or container inclosed position made in accordance withone form of the invention.

Fig; 2 is. a similar view illustrating the box in open or displayposition,"

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionalview taken on the line 3'3 of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view illustrating the movement. at the boxbody. members from closedto open position.

Fig. 5 is aview illustrating the box in open position, and taken alongthe line5-5 of. Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a partial perspective view on an enlarged scale illustratingone suitableform: of

hinge construction forfithe body members and mounting for thedisplayplatform;

.Fig. '7 is a sectional view on the line 1-'1 of Fig. 6, but showing thebox in: partly open position.

Figs. 8 and 9am views illustratingmodified forms of hinge and platform.supporting constructions,"Fig'. 8 showing the body mem'b'ersain closedposition and 9qshowing themvin partially openposition. Y

'Figs. 10 and ll illustrate a modified' formz of display box constructedin accordance with the invention in closed and open positionsiespectively. v i a l 1 Figs. 12 and 13 are sectional views taken along the.lines.il2-l2 and l 3.-l3of Figs.- 10. and 11. Figs. 14=and 15illustrate a still'furthermodi- :fied form of display box in closedandopen po- .sitionsrespectively; l 1

Figs. 16wis a sectional viewof the box shown in' Fig; 14;;takenalongjthekline lB-I 6 thereof, and 1 1 Fig. l7: isua partialudetailtview of the Fig. 14 construction. taken alon the line|=1--I'l..;

.qReferringfirst to Figs. l'to- 7 inclusive. of the .drawings,=lit= willbe seen that .thebox or tcontainer constructioniset forth for purposesofillustration comprisesa pair of body members l0 and hingedtogether asindicated at 'l4@.for movement from closed position, as shown in Figs. 1and 3, to open position as shown in Figs; 2 and 5. The body member l2 inthe form illustrated-is provided with an. upper horizontal section16,-an inclined sectionl8, a vertical section -20, and a lowerhorizontal section22. The com- .plementarybody member. ln is similarlyprovided with upper and; lower horizontal sections 2 4 and 26,:and withinclined and vertical sections!!! and 30. A suitable clasp, asindicatedat 3l ,,releasable bylpressing the body: section lfi downwardlyslightly with respect ,to body section 24, may be provided forholdingthe body members in closed position. Adisplay .padonplatform 32 adaptedto carry articles, such; as indicated at 33 and 34,.isfmoun'ted onthe-body membera'along the line-.oflthe hinged joingt l4. As. willp beseen by comparison ofi igs; :3, 4 and -5,- aswthe body members arepivoted'from' closed to open position, the1 display platformis-movedinto exposed or displayvposi-tion. p i

.Anysuitableiorm of hinge or. pivot connection maybe employed forsecuring the bocly members togethen In-Fig, fi'gone suitable form ofhinge is illustrated comprising aipair of. metal hinge brackets 36 and38 securedtothesections 22 and .26 of the :body members and" pivoted forrotation about shaft l4.1'Similarly various suitablemeans may be employI for mounting the display platformV32 upon" the bodyhmembers at thehinge connection. none: suitable means illustrated in Figs. Gland 7,comprises a bracket- 40 secured to the underside'of the display-platformand pivoted for rotation on the shaft [4. A pair of springs 42 and 44also mounted upon the shaft l4 provide means for balancing or holdingthe display platform in proper display position when the box is opened.The spring 42 has an upper projecting arm 46 adapted to bear upwardlyagainst the underside of the display platform, and a lower arm 48adapted to bear downwardly against the horizontal or base section 26 ofthe body member ID. Similarly the spring 44 is provided with an upperarm 50 adapted to bear upwardly against the display platform and a lowerarm 52 adapted to bear downwardly against section 22 of the body memberI2. I

function of aiding in moving the body members to open position and ofresiliently holding the display platform in proper display position whenthe box is opened. The arrangement of the springs is such that they aresubstantially relaxed when the box is open. Accordingly when thecontainer is in open position the springs exert no substantial forceupon the display platform but will hold the platform against inadvertentdisplacement away from the balanced or horizontal display positionshown, for example, i

in Fig.5.

The display box of the present invention provides a simple andeconomical container for effectively housing or enclosing articlestherewithin when the box is in closed position, and for moving thearticles to an effective and attractive display position upon theopening of the box. The display pad or platform is mounted upon thehinge line or axis of the pivoted body members, and this axis, due tothe arrangement of the parts, is automatically moved from the bottom tothe top or outside of the construction as the body members are opened.Accordingly the display platform is automatically moved to an effectiveexposed display position as the box is opened, and this result iseffected without the provision of lifting cords or the like which areunnecessary.

When in open position, the various sections of the body members provideeffective means for arranging the article platform in any desired angleof display. Thus in Fig. 2' the box is supported by the inclined sectionI8 of the body member I2 effecting an inclined display position for theplatform 32. In Fig. the box is illustrated resting upon the bodysections 30 and 20 effecting a horizontal positioning of thedisplayplatform. A vertical positioning of the platform may be effected bysupporting the box upon either of the sections H5 or 24. When arrangedin any of these positions, the bodymembers automatically hold themselvesin open position, and the springs 42 and 44 retain the display platformin proper position. As previously stated, these springs may be ofsubstantial strength so that they aid in opening the container, or theymay be of very light construction sufficient only to balance the displayplatform but insufficient to exert any substantial box opening force. Inthis event the clasp 3| may be dispensed with, the body membersautomatically holding themselves in closed position when resting ontheir bottom sections 22 and 26.

It is further to be noted that when the box is open the display platformcovers and conceals the entire box interior. Only the edges 54 and 56 ofthe body members are exposed. These edges may be suitably ornamented toprovide an attractive frame for the display platform, and it isunnecessary to ornament or line the box in- The springs provide the dualterior as the interior is concealed from view. The arrangement providesa simplified and economical construction.

In Figs. 8 and 9 a modified and simplified form of hinge or pivotconstruction is illustrated, which may be preferable for use in variousinstances. In this embodiment the body members may be hinged together bymeans of a flexible hinge member 60 adhesively secured to the lowerfaces of body sections 26 and 22. The hinge member 60 may becommensurate with the body sections, as illustrated, or provided onlyalong the hinge axis with sumcient lateral width to enable it to beadhesively secured to the body sections. Similarly the display platform32 is secured in position by a pair of flexible hinge members 62 and 64adhesively secured to the lower face of the display platform and thebody sections 22 and 26. The hinge members may be of any suitableflexible material, but are preferably formed of material having a slightresiliency as well as flexibility, such as heavy paper, leatherette,Scotch tape or cellulose tape. The slight resiliency of the hingemembers 62 and 64 will hold the display platform 32 in balanced displayposition, and the provision of springs, as in the embodiment previouslydescribed, may be dispensed with. The display platform may also be madeof sufficient length that it exerts a slight frictional contact againstthe ends of the body members thus aiding in holdin the platform inadjusted display position.

The container may be made of a variety of shapes. Thus in Figs. 10 to 13inclusive an embodiment of the invention is illustrated wherein the bodymembers 66 and 68 cooperate to produce a semi-circular construction, butare provided at their mid-portion with a thickened portion providinghorizontal, inclined and vertical supporting surfaces 10, T2 and 14respectively. The operation of the parts is the same as in theembodiments of the invention previously described. In this form'ofconstruction, as will be seen in Fig. 11, frame faces 16 and 18 ofincreased width are provided at the center portion of the construction,upon which suitable ornamentation or advertising indicia may be placed.

In Figs. 14 to 1'7 inclusive a still further form of the invention isillustrated. In this instance the body sections 88 and 82 pivoted forrotation about hinge axis 84 are relatively short as compared with theirradial dimensions whereas, in the embodiments previously described, thebody sections are of greater length than of radial extent. When the bodymembers are moved from closed to open position, as in Fig. 15, thedisplay platform 86 is exposed. As illustrated, the display platform inthis instance is of semicircular shape, cooperating with the bodysections 88 and 82 to produce a generally circular construction when thecontainer is in open position.

The container may be constructed of any suitable material such, forexample, as cardboard, wood, metal, plastics, or other material, and itis obvious that various changes may be made in the embodiments of theinvention specifically set forth for purposes of illustration, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly the invention isnot to be limited to the precise embodiments shown and described butonly as indicated in the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A display container comprising a pair of similar body members eachhaving wall portions opening being arranged in a plane bounded by themargins of said wall portions, means pivotally connecting said membersabout an axis located adjacent said margins for arcuate movement betweenclosed position where the openings are in overlying relation and in thesame plane for providing a common interior enclo-' sure, and an openposition wherein the openings are located in adjacent relationship insubstan- 2,262,472 defining an enclosure open on one side, eachextensive abutting relation and in the same upwardly extending plane forproviding a common interior enclosure and an open position wherein theopenings are located in spaced adjacent relationship in substantiallythe same plane, a

display member comprising a wall mounted in the container with itsmedial bottom portion secured substantially at said axis of rotation,said tion equal to substantially twice the width of one of saidopenings, said display wall being substantially coextensive with bothopenings when disposed in open position and in a common plane and beingoperative to dispose itself across both of said openings in overlyingrelation when the members are shifted to open position. J

2. Adisplay container as defined in claim 1 wherein said body membershave wall portions extending at generally right angles from the planesof said openings and adapted to engage each other for limitingrotational movement of the members at said open position.

3. A display container as defined in claim 1 wherein the interior wallsurfaces of said body members are shaped to clear the margins of saiddisplay wall as they are rotationally moved between open and closedpositions.

4. A display container as defined in claim 1 wherein said display memberincludes a display platform projecting laterally outwardly from saidwall and receivable within the interior of said body members when inclosed position.

5. A display container comprising a pair of similar body members eachhaving Wall portions, including bottom, top and side wall portionsdefining an enclosure open on one side,

each said opening being arranged in a plane extending upwardly from thebottom wall portions and being bounded by the margins of the bottom,side and top wall portions, means pivotally connecting said membersabout an axis located adjacent the said margins of said bottom wallportions for'arcuate movement between closed position where the openingsare in colast named wall having a dimension transverse to said axis ofrotation equal to substantially twice the vertical dimension of one ofsaid openings, said display wall being substantially coextensive withboth openings when disposed in open position and in a common plane andbeing operative to dispose itself across both of said openings inoverlying relation when the members are shifted to open position.

6. .A display container comprising a pair of similar body members eachhaving wall portions, including bottom, top and side wall portionsdefining an enclosure open on one side, each said opening being arrangedin a plane extending upwardly from the bottom wall portions and beingbounded by the margins of the bottom, side and top wall portions, meanspivotally connecting said members about an axis located adjacent thesaid margins of said bottom wall portions for arcuate movement betweenclosed po sition where the openings are in coextensive abutting relationand in the same upwardly extending plane and said bottom wall portionsare spaced in substantially the same horizontal plane for providing acommon interior enclosure and an open position wherein the openings arelocated in spaced adjacent relationship in substantially the same planeand said bottom wall portions are in overlying relationship in the sameplane, a display member comprising a wall mounted in the container withits medial bottom portion secured substantially at said axis ofrotation, said last named wall having a dimension transverse to saidaxis of rotation equalto substantially twice the vertical dimension ofone of said openings, said display wall being substantially coextensivewith both openings when disposed in open position and in a, common planeand being operative to dispose itself across both of said openings inoverlying relation when the members are shifted to open position.

EDWARD C. SLQAN.

